Photographing E.I.F Billboards
One of the greatest parts of working as a photographer, is seeing your work printed, in the real world. As everything becomes more and more ephemeral, briefly passing across the palms of our hands, tangible objects have a new significance.
I’m fortunate to have a nicely growing collection of vinyl albums featuring my work, I still have clippings from my old NME work. There’s even one Tame Impala tear sheet decorating a pub toilet, that my friend Ryan never fails to photograph, to some strange looks I imagine!
This month saw a series of my images flying above and around Edinburgh, working to promote this years Edinburgh International Festival. Multi-story billboards on Princes Street, buses, trams and smaller billboards across the city, it was a treat of an ad spend!
The photos were created in an afternoon at the Usher Hall late last year. I was booked to fly to the US the planned day of the stills shoot, so it was a treat that the amazing team at Frame Agency were so willing and helpful in flexing their plans to make this work.
Eilidh, the art director at Frame who brought me on board for this (thanks Eilidh!) did something for me that I’ve struggled so long to do myself. To define the work that I do.
Being introduced as a photographer, the inevitable first question is “what type of photography do you do?”
It’s one I always struggle to find a succinct answer for.
It can depend on the season. In summer, I shoot live music. In winter, I’m a studio hermit. It can depend on who is asking; it’s this thing to him, or that thing to her. It can depend on what I’m enjoying, or what’s paying the bills.
My work can be varied, but I think (hope?) that there’s a line travelling through it.
But nobody hears all of that before they lost interest, right?
I asked Eilidh what it was that had her move shoot days to book me for this particular project. “Your work is portraiture meeting performance” she told me.
Well, that’s nice isn’t it? What a perfect summation of what I try to do. Sometimes it needs somebody else to see.
This job, to that end, was perfect for me, and I’m so grateful that Eilidh recognised this, and helped bring these images, and this campaign to life. It was a joy to be a part of.
I worked alongside a great video crew on this project who produced this gorgeous ad. Thanks to all of them for their help and co-operation on making tight schedules work. And thanks to four models who were a dream to work with. You can watch the accompanying film here, directed & shot by Jonnie Lewis, edited by legendary Four Fours.